Um caso raro de intussuscepção em uma vaca leiteira

Abstract

E nrico l.ippi O R T O L A N I1; Jose R oberto JU LY 2; l.eydson Form iga FK1TOSA-* SUMMARY A rare case o f intussusception in the "pars descendens duodeni" o f a three-year-old dairy cow was described. The clinical signs manifested were acute anorexia, drop in the milk yield and cessation o f rum ination and defecation. Auscultation revealed dim inished sounds in the abomasum and intestine but a tympanitic sound over a 6 cm diam eter area between the 10"' and 12"' ribs o f the right side was delected. Rectal examination revealed a firm, distended and elastieus viscus in the right anterior quadrant. The final diagnosis was obtained by exploratory laparotom y. A resection o f the affected bowel followed by an enteroanastom osis were performed. A medical treatment (antibiotic therapy and rehydration) was given for five days to the cow which made an uneventful recovery. The etiology o f the clinical signs presented are discussed.UNITERMS: Intussusception; Cattle; Treatment INTRODUCTIONIntussusception can be defined as an acute condition where a section of intestine telescopes into the portion immediately distal to it, occluding its lumen (intussuscipiens) and, by arresting the mesenteric blood supply to the invaginating portion (intussusceptum), causes necrosis o f the affected segment7 A common explanation for the occurrence o f intussusception is that a violent or irregular peristaltic wave carries a segment o f the gut into the portion immediately distal to it, trapping the proximal segment. A suggested predisposing cause of such an event is feeding upon succulent, heavily fertilized lush forage (PEARSON6, 1971). However, in a series of 36 cases treated surgically BOSSHART1 (1930) found that tumors or inflam matory lesions in the lumen of the intussusception apparently were the cause.The extra mobility caused by the depth o f their mesenteric attachments renders the jejunum and the ileum most likely to be the sites of intussusception*-9,10. The condition is less common in the caecum or ascending colon and is very rare in the duodenum, transverse colon or rectum (SM ITH9, 1984). This paper describes clinical findings in a dairy cow with intussusception and complete intestinal separation in the descending portion of the duodenum and its correction by surgery. HISTORY AND CLINICAL FINDINGSA three-year-old Holstein cow weighing 350 kg was admitted to the Veterinary Hospital of the Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia da Universidade de São Paulo, Brazil, in December 1987.The cow had calved six months previously. Its daily food intake consisted of 5.5 kg concentrates and roughage (napier grass -Pennisetum purpureum) at "ad libitum" consump tion. Sudden onset of anorexia, dramatic drop in the milk yield and cessation of rumination and defecation were the principal clinical signs.When examined at the hospital, the cow was able to stand but had a depressed demeanour. Its rectal temperature was 38.5 UC, heart rate < 50 beats/min. and rumen contraction was absent. Within few hours, the animal became recumbent, w...